


Avengers: Reassemble

by GodricSalzaar16



Category: Avengers: Infinity War Part I (2018), Black Panther (2018), Captain America (Movies), Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Awesome T'Challa (Marvel), BAMF Natasha Romanov, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Canonical Character Death, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Everybody Lives, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Friendship, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt Peter Parker, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity Gems, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Feels, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Resurrection, So much angst, Spoilers, Steve Rogers Feels, Temporary Character Death, Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Feels, back from the dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-28 15:30:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14452248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GodricSalzaar16/pseuds/GodricSalzaar16
Summary: Post-Infinity War Fic. So Spoilers.Half the universe has been wiped out, and Thanos has all the power in the universe.What's left of the remaining Avengers band together, willing to give their lives to find a way to defeat Thanos and bring everyone back. And then Carol Danvers comes to Earth, and things get both easier and more complicated.Tony's just lost everyone, he failed the universe and yet, somehow he's still alive. But there has to be a reason. Strange said they only won in one universe, but he also said he would protect the stone with his life. So it has to mean something. Tony just has to figure out what.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carol please save us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still mourning, we're all still morning. But here's this.

He doesn’t know how they got inside. 

He knows they must have walked, but his mind had only  just  begun coming out of its trauma-induced haze. He blinked once… twice…and then his surroundings came into focus. He sat on the half-destroyed examination table in Shuri’s lab. By some miracle, Shuri had made it out alive. Steve had  been scared  to death that they would find another pile of ashes in her place.  Thankfully  they hadn’t. 

Okoye was with Shuri. She’d taken the girl out of the room and somewhere private to explain the situation. Steve couldn’t even begin to fathom what it must be like for the two of them right now. Shuri had lost her brother, Okoye her king. Wakanda was in ruins. 

And  _ Bucky … _

No, he shook himself. He couldn’t fall down that dark hole, not right now. But there was nothing stopping him.  _Half the universe_ had  been wiped  out in a second. At random. He turned to Rhodes, who sat on the floor out of the armour. He had his back against the wall, an  utterly  defeated look on his face that mirrored that of the rest of them in the room. 

Thor and the  _ talking raccoon _  sat side-by-side. The raccoon cradled a heap of grey flecks. The ashes of his friends. From -- according to Thor -- something close to his  _kid_.  Steve didn’t even know what to make of that, but he didn’t have time to dwell on the bizarreness of it all. 

They’d all lost someone today, more than someone. They’d lost  _everything_. 

They were the Avengers. Earth’s mightiest heroes. 

And they failed. 

_ Steve?  _

It played on repeat in his mind. The tiny, shocked tone. Bucky’s confused expression as he fell to the ground, as his feet started giving way beneath him. Steve had wanted to reach out,  maybe  even catch him -- he knew it was impossible -- but he stood frozen in shock. For a split second, everything was quiet. And then everything was gone. 

A hand touched his shoulder, and he jerked. Natasha stood next to him, a faltering, crooked smile on her lips.  He knew she was trying to reassure him, take his mind away from the dark paths it trod, but he saw the deadness in her eyes . Whatever light had been there, whatever fire and fury she had come into this with, was gone. 

“We lost,” he said, his voice cracking. It was strange and heartbreaking to say out loud. “We  _ lost. _ ”

He almost collapsed then. How could they lose? It was their job to protect earth -- to protect the  people  of earth.  Everything they’ve ever fought for in the past, the Chituri invasion, Ultron,  _themselves_ … all for nothing . The very reason they  were brought  together, and they couldn’t even do what they  were meant  for. 

“I know, Steve. I _know_ ,” she said and drew him close. He laid his head on her shoulder and stared at the wall. 

Vision, Wanda, Sam, Bucky, T’challa, the Tree -- Groot -- all gone. How many more, he didn’t know. 

He thought about that second then. The moment the phone rang.  _ The  _ phone. He was so shocked he almost dropped it in his fumbling haste to pick it up. Because it was Tony, and Tony was calling him.  _Tony was calling him_. 

_ ‘Tony? Tony, I’m here, what do you need? Tony?’ _

He couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out. It had been three years. Three years since he’d seen Tony since he heard Tony’s voice. He couldn’t say he’d forgotten what it sounded like -- he doubts he ever could. 

But it hadn’t been Tony, it was Bruce. It was disorientating. 

_ ‘Ah, no, Steve. Sorry, it’s..uh… it’s me, Bruce.’ _

Steve almost couldn’t fathom the fact that the one -- and only -- time this phone ever rang, and it wasn’t even Tony on the other side.  It took a few seconds for Steve to mentally shake himself, to recalibrate the situation and shift his view . If Bruce had the phone, then something must have been wrong.  Hell, Bruce hadn’t even been there when everything fell apart, and Steve hadn’t heard anything about his return ever since . 

_ ‘Bruce, it’s good to hear from you’  _ he said because it was. Bruce was still his friend. 

__

_ ‘ I wish I could say the same, buddy. But we--we’ve got a situation. A sorta life-or-death thing. Tony -- he’s a bit busy right now’  _ Steve hadn’t missed the momentary hesitance in Bruce's voice,  _ ‘we need you.’  _

_‘Tell me where you are, I’ll be there._ ’

Of course, after that, all hell broke loose. 

Steve didn’t know what he expected when he returned to the compound.  He’d told Sam that he was going home, and it hadn’t hit him until he was standing in the large expanse of the compound, how  absolutely  true that was . 

But Tony wasn't there. And Steve realised that there wouldn't be a reunion.  They had to save the world, and there would be no time for long overdue discussions and even longer overdue apologies . Tony was doing what he had to, wherever he was and Steve had to do the same. And when Wanda didn't check in, he knew the situation had gone from bad to worse. 

It had taken less than a few hours to get to Wakanda. It still took his breath away, every time he passed through the barrier and into the vast expanse of the land. The still, blue water glittered under the sunlight, sparkling against the tall buildings. The giant statue of a Panther roaring was the centrepiece of the city. It stood towering and intimidating. A protector. A physical embodiment of T'challa and the Wakandan people. Strong and fierce and fearsome. 

It had been good to see T'challa again. It had been even better to _finally_ see Bucky. 

Three long years. Ninety if you wanted to count in how long he'd been in the ice.  To have his best friend with him again, standing at his side, solid and real and  _whole_ ,  filled Steve with warmth and hope . They were together again -- they had a whole team now. How could they lose? 

But they had. And now they're here. And Steve doesn't know what to do. He doesn't  _know what to do_. 

“Hey,  _ hey _ ,” Nat said, drawing his attention back to her. She pulled away from him enough that he could look up at her face. “This isn’t the end -- it  can’t  be. We’ll figure something out. We _have to_.” 

Steve wanted to contradict her, ask her what more could they  possibly do. 

“Natasha is right,” Thor said, rising from where he sat. He walked over to Steve and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Years ago, we  were brought together for one purpose, and one purpose only. To protect the earth and everyone on it. We faced aliens and evil robots and from what I’ve heard, we even fought ourselves. But none of that matters now.  All of those battles  were meant to prepare us -- and prepare us, they did.”

“But we  _failed_ ,  Thor. We failed and now half the  _ universe  _ is gone. How were we prepared?” Steve asked, struggling to keep his voice level. 

“Because we don’t give up. We don’t  _get_ to give up.  We might not have been able to save them. But you know for damn sure we will avenge them,” Thor said. 

He gripped Steve's shoulder tighter and forced Steve to look up at him, into his eyes. 

What he saw there almost made him look away. So much pain, and sadness and yearning. It threatened to swallow Steve whole. Steve didn’t know what happened to Thor over the past few years, but he’d shown up alone. A new haircut, a scar across his eyes and a new weapon. Steve wasn’t sure he even wanted to know. 

“I know all about loss, Captain. More than you or anyone else in this room could ever begin to understand. But what I told the rabbit--” he gestured to the  _ raccoon _ , “is still true. Despite everything, all my losses, I am still here.  We  are still here. We have survived things no mere mortal could. The universe kept us here -- it  _ chose  _ us. 

“Because we do what others cannot.  Maybe we’ll lose again.  Maybe we’ll die. But what was the point of us -- of all this, the  _ Avengers _  -- if we didn’t do everything in our power to make things right?”  

Steve hadn't thought about the universe choosing him. He always thought that it would never let him die, never let him be at peace. But not this, never this. This was something bigger than him, something bigger than  all of them. Fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it -- it kept them alive, brought them back and made them stronger. He used to think it was vindictive, sadistic even, but now...

"Do you  really thing we have a chance? Thanos -- h-he decimated us. We did all we could and he still won, everything we could think of, everything possible. He still got what he wanted. What more is there?" Steve hadn't realised he stood up until he could himself across the room. His chest heaved with every panting breath. Panic was settling in. 

"No," Bruce said, appearing next to Thor. "He's right. The things I've been through -- God, I can't even tell you how many times I should've died. How many times I  was  _ meant _ to die. I've  been thrown from helicarriers, crashed into buildings, hurtled through space and time. And I'm still here." 

He walked right up to Steve, invading his personal space. His hands clutched at the ruined fabric across his chest. They shook. 

" _I'm still here_ , " he said, more insistent this time. "It doesn't make any sense. It's illogical, impossible. I am a scientist, and there is no sound reason, no tangible conclusion that could explain how I'm still alive.  So when a  _ Norse God  _ tells me that the universe itself has kept me alive, has pulled me through things I didn't want to  be pulled through to get me here . To get me to  _ this  _ moment, I have to believe him. I  _ have  _ to."

"Bruce..." Steve said. 

"Steve, please. We can do this. We  literally have nothing left to lose -- we've already lost everything. Say you'll do this with, say you'll help us find a way," Bruce asked, and Steve's heart cracked a little bit more. 

Bruce was right. They were both right. He'd lost Bucky and Sam, all his friends. Everything that ever held him back in the past. The fear of losing the ones he loved-- of being the only survivor. He didn't matter now. He'd already been through it, came out on the other side with nothing to lose. 

And his pain, his guilt and sorrow and sadness, he could channel it, make it something better. Something that could drive him. 

Rage. 

Anger. 

_ Wrath.  _

"Steve," Natasha said, and he turned to look at her. 

She shook her head in disbelief. 

"You can't think--?" she said. 

He wanted to tell her  no , wanted to tell her it was all ludicrous. If they couldn't stop him before, how could they do it now? But all that anger, the fire it burned inside him. It scorched his veins and set his skin ablaze. He buzzed with energy, adrenaline fueling him once more. 

"Nat, he took -- Thanos took everything. He took everyone. But we're still here.  _Why_ are we still here?" He asked her. 

"Because the gauntlet chose it random, you know this! There was no pattern, no right or wrong person -- Thor said so himself. Thanos wants the universe balanced, and it didn't matter who had to stay and who had to go." She said, her voice strained, expression tight. 

"I don't -- I can't believe that. Look at us, look who's in this room.  The Avengers, the very first Avengers," He gestured around the room, ignoring the painful absences . "Thanos wields the  _ powers  _ of the universe, not the universe itself. There has to be some control, some reason we're still here. Even if we're wrong about this, I _choose_ to believe it.

"We're going to do something -- we have to do something. Like Bruce said, we have nothing left to lose but our lives. And I for one, don't care if I make it out of this, As long as I know I did something. As long as I know I  _ tried. _ " 

"You'll know I'll follow you wherever you go, but do you  honestly think we have a chance at winning? We all saw the destruction he caused, what chance do we have?" Natasha asked, and Steve could pick out the desperation in her tone. 

"We have no other choice," Okoye said, as she entered the room. 

She'd ripped her uniform during the battle, and she had specks of blood staining the fabric. Still, she held onto her spear and stood tall. Steve could see her hands shaking, her entire being trembling. He had never met anyone as strong as her, as commanding. But he knew she  was scared \-- he  was scared too. 

"We have lost friends, family, children... there is nothing more. My king is gone and my city is in ruins. The only thing I have left is my life, and I would  gladly give it to bring them back. So now, we have no choice. We  must  do this. It is the only way," Okoye said. 

"So what's the plan then?" Rhodes asked, struggling to stand. Steve went over and helped him up. 

Before anyone could say anything, Shuri came running into the room. She still looked shaken, but Steve hadn't expected otherwise. She gasped, clutching a tablet in both her hands. 

"We have incoming," she said, talking  mostly to Okoye. "Something  just entered Earth's atmosphere. I'm picking up extraterrestrial signals." 

She showed them the screen. It was black with specks of bright orange. A grid of the Earth and something hurtled across the screen. It moved fast, faster than even the spaceship that appeared mere days ago. 

And it was heading straight for them. 

"It'll be here in seconds," Shuri said, fear in her voice. She knew they wouldn't be able to face another threat, not now, not yet. 

"Get ready," Steve said, activating his shield. 

It was a light weight on his arm, but he still found himself yearning for  his  shield. But he'd lost it, and he had no one but himself to blame for that. 

Thor readied his weapon -- an axe? -- while Rhodes activated the War-Machine armour. Okoye and Natasha squared their shoulders preparing for a fight. Bruce grumbled something under his breath, but he followed along anyway. 

"Let's go."

They stood in the middle of the shredded battlefield. It was  eerily silent. There weren't any human bodies in the field,  all of them dissolved. They stood in ashes, the grey remains of those who fought with them. It was a graveyard. 

" _There_!" Shuri shouted, pointing to something in the sky. 

A flickering of light, bright and almost blinding. He caught a flash of red, blue and gold as it approached the dome. They had tried to put the force-field back up,  just in case. But there were large gaps, big enough for ships to enter through. 

But this wasn't a ship. 

It landed with an explosion. There was no flames, no burning smoke. But there was now a hole in the ground. It rocked the ground beneath their feet, and they fell backwards with the force of it. 

Okoye helped Shuri up, while Thor and Rhodes pulled Bruce to his feet. Steve stood and dusted himself off. The approached  slowly , cautious steps taking them forward. 

He looked at the rest of them, making sure they were all on the same page. They all gave a nod, weapons at the ready as the drew closer. Before they reached the edge of the hole, another flash blinded them and then a voice. 

Steve whipped around, shied raised and eyes sharp. Rhodes had his guns out, pointed at the anomaly. Natasha and Okoye stood in front of Shuri a protective barrier. Thor stood in front of Bruce, shielding him. He had his axe ready. 

As the smoke cleared, Steve could make out the shape of -- a _person_? He faltered  momentarily , taking an instinctive step back. When the air was clear, they looked up. 

Eyes bluer than the ocean assaulted him. He stared at a woman. She wasn't that tall, but her stance made him feel like she was towering over the rest of them. Her outfit was metallic, a blinding assault of blue and red. The gold star emblazed on her chest sparkled in the dim sunlight. Her short blond hair fluttered around her face. 

"Who the hell are you?" Thor asked, voicing their thoughts. 

She squared her shoulders. 

"My name is Carol Danvers," she said, "I am an ally of S.H.I.E.L.D, a protector of Earth and ambassador for the Kree. 

And I'm here to help." 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

“So what _are_ you?” Rhodey asked.

 

They all sat around a table. Rhodey had a glass of something in front of him. Bruce doesn’t know where he got it, but he finds himself envious. He turns his attention away from Rhodey and back to Carol Danvers. She’s close to his height, muscled, with short blond hair and electric blue eyes. From the way she carries herself -- straight spine, shoulders back and chin jutted out just a little, steps halting in the slightest -- Bruce assumes she’s somehow connected to the military.

 

“I’m afraid I’ll have to start this story from the very beginning -- it all sounds a bit to fantastical to be true,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

 

She was still clad in full uniform, a metallic blue suit coloured in blue and red and outlined in gold. There was a large star on her chest.

 

“Trust me, I doubt there is anything out of our realm right now,” Steve said, from where he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

 

He didn’t want to be seated at the table with the rest of them. It was the nerves, Bruce knew. The need to be moving, to be doing something. Bruce felt the same way. They had long passed the time for long discussions and standing still. They had a universe to save, people to get back.

 

“Years ago, I joined the air-force. I rose through the ranks, became a major. And then I moved on to NASA. I rose through their ranks, became a decorated officer. During my time at NASA they were conducting various expeditions, going out to look for alien life. Back then, we didn’t know what to expect. But then I met doctor Walter Lawson. He was the head of research on these expeditions. He had a vast knowledge of space, and it was only later that we learnt why.

 

“Walter Lawson was part of a distant extraterrestrial race of aliens, known as the Kree. Their faction’s appearance was identical to ours, making it easy for them to blend in with those on Earth. Lawson was one of the few Kree that made the journey to Earth to observe the species and report back to their superiors. But when Walter realised that he’s superiors motives were more sinister than what he was told, he turned his back on his people and vowed to protect Earth.”

 

“How did the government manage to cover this up so well? Usually they leave traces, files and videos, codes -- human error cannot be escaped. Someone, somewhere would’ve run their mouth about it,” Bruce said, digging his fingers into his palms.

 

“The government didn’t cover it up, S.H.I.E.L.D. did. Nick Fury, Phil Coulson and Peggy Carter. When they found out about Walter, they brought him in, interrogated him. They wanted to know if he posed a threat to earth. Once they had determined that he wouldn’t be trying to take over the world, they enlisted him. He was under their protection. With his identity now known, Walter’s knowledge of space put us ahead of our time by decades.”

 

“You said you knew him because of your time with NASA -- but what happened after? How did you get your powers?” Bruce asked. It seemed like he was doing most of that now. Of what other use was he?

 

“After his identity was revealed, there was an explosion. We had been sent out to a crash-site. Something had entered the atmosphere, and it messed up our signal. The readings coming off that thing were insane -- no one had ever seen anything like it. It was highly unstable, but we didn’t know how much damage it could cause,” she paused, and the faraway look in her eyes told Bruce she was looking into herself.

 

“Walter, he knew what it was. He tried to warn the team, but they wouldn’t listen. He tried to stop them from moving it -- I tried to shield him. And then it went off. I don’t exactly know what happened, only that when I woke up, everything was different. The explosion, it rearranged every cell in my body, fused it with that of Walter’s. I inherited his DNA, and became the first Human-Kree hybrid.”

 

“And then you started working for S.H.I.E.L.D. as well,” Steve said, pushing away from the wall. “If that’s the case, then you’ve been active for years now, decades even. Where have you been this whole time?”

 

Bruce knew what Steve was asking. Where had she been when Loki infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. stole the Tesseract and allowed aliens to invade earth? When hydra took over S.H.I.E.L.D. and almost started a mass genocide? Where was she when Ultron tore cities apart? And now, when the most powerful being in the universe just snapped his fingers and __erased__ almost everyone?

 

“I have been off-world. Earth has more enemies off Earth than on it, and it was my vow -- taken years ago -- to protect the people of Earth from those who wished to destroy it. I was mid-battle when everything changed. Half my people and half of the enemies just __disappeared.__ They left nothing but ash in their wake. I didn’t know what to make of it,” she said.

 

“So how did you know to be here?” Steve asked, leaning more heavily on the table.

 

“I received a distress signal from Nick Fury -- and SOS. I came as quickly as I could. My senses were going haywire the closer I got to this place,” she said. “I still don’t know exactly what happened.”

“Thanos is what happened,” Thor said, looking up from where he had been staring at the table.

 

“The __Mad Titan__  on Earth? Don’t tell me--”

 

“He came for the stones,” Thor cut her off. “We were in possession of the mind stone -- he came to retrieve it. He got all of them.”

 

“That’s impossible. He couldn’t have gotten all the stones,” she said, her disbelief palpable.

 

“I assure you, it’s very possible,” Thor said, turning his eyes back to the table.

 

“It’s impossible because __I__ hid the Soul Stone myself,” she said, almost shouting.

 

“What?” Bruce asked.

 

Everyone’s eyes swerved to her, wide in disbelief and concern.

 

“The Kree were the keepers of the stone. When it was predicted that the Mad Titan would one day come for it and kill everyone, they knew they had to hide it. Mar--Walter and I took the stone and the map and hid it on the planet __Vormir.__ There was an ancient spirit their, the protector. As punishment for trying to wield an infinity stone the cosmos placed it there.

 

“The stone could only be accessed through a sacrifice. A soul for a soul, if you will. We destroyed the map and never told--,” she said.

 

“What? What is it?” Bruce asked, leaning forward. Everyone else also shifted in their seats.

 

“There was one person. A woman -- she said that we were on the same team. She said Thanos had sent her to retrieve the map, but she hated him, wanted to see him pay for what he did to her. With all her conviction, I truly believed her,” Carol said.

 

She looked shocked, sad even.

 

“What was her name?” Rocket asked, and they all turned their attention to him.

 

“What--why?” Carol asked, her brows furrowing.

 

“ _ _What was her name__?” Rocket said, louder this time, more insistence in his voice. It took all of them by surprise.

 

“Gamora. Her name was Gamora.”

 

Bruce frowned, and looking around the room he saw his own expression in the others. All but Rocket and Thor. Thor looked shook his head, as if he couldn’t process the information. Rocket looked stricken.

 

“ _ _No__ ,” the raccoon whispered. “She wouldn’t.”

 

“Wouldn’t what? Do you know her -- this Gamora?” Steve asked.

 

“She’s apart of my team. She’s Thanos’ adopted daughter,” Rocket said.

 

The room went into uproar.

 

“You don’t understand, she wouldn’t give him the stone! She hated him!” Rocket shouted over the noise.

 

“How do we know that -- maybe she was playing you?” Rhodey shouted.

 

“Thanos -- the things he did to her, to her people. He slaughtered her family and took her as his ward. His idea of love was torture, and pitting her against her sister. She’s a trained assassin. She spent the last few years trying to get away from that maniac. She __wouldn’t do this.__ ” he repeated.

 

“The rabbit is right. I spoke with her, Gamora. She not only hated Thanos, she was afraid of him. There must be some other explanation,” Thor said, patting Rocket on his tiny shoulder.

 

“Unless…” Rocket trailed off.

 

“Unless what?” Carol asked.

 

“Gamora, she had a sister. Nebula. Between the two of ‘em Gamora was the favourite. You might not think that means all that much, but __trust me__ it did,” Rocket said, around a harsh laugh. “Thanos, he tortured Nebula. He ripped her apart and put her back together. She’s part cyborg now -- almost completely replaced with spare parts. She’s more machine than anything else.

 

“For years, Gamora and Nebula they hated each other. Nebula hated Gamora for never helping her, but  things changed. They were finally in a good place. The last we saw of Nebula, she swore she would kill Thanos herself. That was months ago.”

 

“So what-- you think she got herself captured or something?” Bruce asked.

 

“Oh, I __know__ she did. Nebula is psycho, but Thanos is a whole other story. I’m telling you now, the only way Gamora would every give Thanos the stone is if it meant saving Nebula. She would give her own life, but not her sister’s,” Rocket said.

 

“So she just took him to it?” Carol asked, her anger visible. Her fists were clenched and mouth tight.

 

“Hey, we don’t trade in lives here, lady,” Rhodey said, repeating Steve’s earlier statement.

 

“But retrieving the stone still means giving a sacrifice,” Thor said quietly. He turned to Rocket, his expression said.

 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Rocket asked, getting to his feet. “You think Thanos -- you think he--”

 

“Rabbit,” Thor said, his voice soft. He reached out, no doubt intending to place a comforting hand on Rocket’s shoulder.

 

Rocket backed away, dodging Thor’s outstretched hand.

 

“No, Gamora -- she’s-she’s __fine.__ My team, they’re fine. Those idiots, they’re probably on their way here now,” Rocket rambled, but Bruce could hear the hint of hysteria creeping into his voice. “Gamora, she’s not dumb enough to -- Thanos wouldn’t -- __no.__ No, no, no…”

 

He trailed off, still muttering to himself as he left the room. Thor gave Bruce a look and Bruce nodded. Thor followed quickly behind the raccoon.

 

The room fell silent once the two left. Bruce had no idea what to say.

 

“So what now? Fury sent for you, but we still have no idea what we’re supposed to be doing. And no offence, but how can you __help__ us?” Steve asked. His tone was resigned, but Bruce could still see some of that fire from earlier in his eyes.

 

Hope.

 

It was a treacherous thing. But it was all they had.

 

“Thanos might be an all-powerful being now, but the universe doesn’t __want__ him to have the gauntlet. All throughout time and space, the cosmos have hidden the stones. And it hid them for a __reason.__  Just because Thanos sees at as his job to balance the universe, doesn’t mean it is,” she said.

 

“Anyone could wield that gauntlet. Thanos was chosen, yes. But he wasn’t the only one chosen. The stones, they sought __knowledge.__ Only those burdened with knowledge could wield it -- use its powers for the __right__ purpose. The universe wouldn’t have set so many traps, taken so many precautions if this was __meant__  to be the outcome.”

 

 

She sounded almost desperate. Like she needed to believe it.

 

They needed to believe it too.

 

“So what you’re saying, is that we need to find the other chosen? And what, __hope__ that they can take on Thanos? Where are we even going to find someone like that?” Bruce asked.

 

“It has been my experience, Doctor Banner, that the universe never presents a challenge that you cannot face. There are tools that you must forge yourself, weapons that you create. Then there is what’s given to you,” she said.

 

“We’re just going to believe the answer to all out problems is going to, what, fall out of the sky?” he asked. “Because in __my__ experience, the universe gives nothing freely. There’s always a price. __Always.__ And we have paid it many times over. I’m not sure we can do that again.”

 

“Oh, Doctor. I think you’re lacking faith.”

 

He almost lost it then, but thankfully Thor had come back into the room. He placed a heavy hand on Bruce’s shoulder and drew him back into a faux one-arm hug. Bruce went willingly, and silent. The two of them exchanged a look, one of understanding.

 

“You’re not going to believe this!” Shuri said, rushing into the room with Okoye hot on her heels.

 

Shuri had been missing for most of the discussion, having disappeared shortly after Carol appeared. She had insisted on checking for other life forms, anything strange radiating on and off earth. Okoye, obviously, wouldn’t leave he alone for even a second.

 

Her excitement must have carried, because Rocket appeared behind Thor. He didn’t look any happier than when he left -- and Bruce could recognise the defeated look in his eyes -- but at least he was there.

 

“What is it?” Steve asked, coming to Bruce’s other side.

 

“A ship just entered the atmosphere,” she said, waving the tablet in her hands, “and it’s definitely not from earth.”

 

“Where is it heading?” Bruce said, walking around the table to where Shuri stood. He looked over her shoulder, watching as the small, orange dot flew across the screen.

 

“ _ _New York__ ,” she said, turning to look at Banner in confusion.

 

And, __oh.__

 

It couldn’t be.

 

There was no way.

 

But the dot was moving. Moving to a familiar location, one Bruce wished he didn’t know.

 

“Ms. Danvers,” Bruce said, not looking up from the tablet. “I think you might have been right about that faith thing.”

 

“And why is that?” She asked.

 

He looked up then. Everyone frowned, confusion and worry in their faces.

 

But no, this--

 

This was good news.

 

“I know where that’s ship’s going,” Bruce said. “And we have to go.

 

“We have to go __now__.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I'm butchering Carol's storyline, but since the MCU hasn't introduced her yet, I don't know how they're going to explain her sudden appearance in the next movie. Anyway, here's this.


End file.
